Central SA
Police ministry visits notorious illegal mining area in North West─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 08:43 Mon, 22 Dec 2025
The acting Minister of police will visit the notorious illegal mining area in Bapong, Brits in North West, today.
Professor Frizos Cachalia will be joined by North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, when they visit the Kgosi Andrew Nkoana Mogale and Bapo ba Mogale traditional council to address the issue of illegal mining activities. Police commissioner, Gen. Fanie Masemola, will also be in attendance.
The visit forms part of the government’s ongoing efforts to find a lasting solution to illegal mining activities in Bapong and surrounding areas by engaging various stakeholders, said police national spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
Videos and images depicting illegal mining operations in Bapong have recently been widely circulated on social media, heightening public concern over the threat to local communities, infrastructure, and the environment. To date, 21 illegal miners have been arrested as police continue to follow all possible leads in identifying the mastermind behind the operators. Heavy machinery has since been seized and removed from the area.
21 suspects arrested were between 11 and 20 December, mostly for contravention of mineral and petrolium resources act, said provincial police spokesperson, Adele Myburg. 11 suspects were arrested on Friday (12/12) and a Toyota LDV, loaded with chrome-bearing material as well as other mining equipment, was seized.
On Saturday, (13/12), one suspect was arrested, and a truck with two trailers containing chrome-bearing material was seized.
Several arrests made
On Sunday, (14/12), the team arrested five more suspects for drinking in public. Two of them were further charged for contravention of the Immigration Act, 2002.
On Thursday, (18/12), the team arrested a 51-year-old suspect for contravention of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Act, 2002, and seized a Nissan 1-ton truck, an excavator, and mining equipment. On Saturday (20/12), a 19-year-old suspect was arrested in Sarajevo with a wheelbarrow containing chrome-bearing material and charged with illegal mining.
The team apprehended two more suspects: a male (aged 52) and a female (aged 41), and seized the pair’s vehicle, a bakkie containing chrome-bearing material. The suspects are both undocumented Zimbabweans.
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